We have a simple, delicious recipe for shell-on jumbo shrimp that we use for celebrations. We call it Magic Shrimp. It’s dirt easy:

1.5 lbs. shrimp
olive oil
butter
garlic
chile flakes
salt (small dash)

Separately: rice or noodles; we like wild rice.

Amounts: to taste. We love garlic and spicy, so we probably use more of those than most people. Chilpotle chile flakes (flavor crystals) are our favorite. We aim for a thick-ish residue when the cooking is done, so you can wipe the peeled shrimp in it as a sort of dip and still have enough left over for soaking up with rice.

Make sure your shrimp are de-veined. Put all the ingredients but the shrimp into the pan and use medium heat so you don’t cook off the oils and juices. Once the base is getting hot, lay in the shrimp. Cook it slowly with the lid on; turn the shrimp when half done. We like to cook them in a glass-topped lid so we can see when they are ready to turn and then when they’re done.

We pluck them right out of the pan with our fingers, shelling them on a plate then wiping up some juice/dip, garlic, and chiles with that first bite. When done, we dump the amount of rice we want into the empty pan and stir it all up to absorb all the remaining juices. Dish that out onto the plates and it’s a fine ending to the feast. (We usually have green beans or asparagus or salad to eat with it. You have to wipe your fingers a lot.) Superb!

Magic Shrimp, ready to eat.